Kansas game wardens seize rifles after hunters used spotlights

Hunters in Kansas lost their rifles and deer after illegally using spotlights, officials said.

Game wardens in Phillips County in northwest Kansas received a tip from Nebraska game wardens about an illegal spotlighting incident last fall, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism said in a Facebook post.

The suspects in the case paid $9,572 in fines and game wardens seized four whitetail deer, three rifles and two spotlights, the post said. The deer meat was donated.

The 19 charges in the case included hunting with an artificial light, hunting from a vehicle, taking deer without a permit, fail to tag deer, taking rabbit by illegal means and illegal transfer of deer tags, the post said. The suspects also faced charges in Nebraska.

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A body camera shows Kansas game warden Lynn Koch freeing two bucks, whose antlers became locked up, in Coffey County. All it took was one shot. The footage is date-stamped Dec. 20, 2016. (Courtesy of Kansas Wildlife, Parks & Tourism)